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Sheltered on the western shore of Ok’gari (Fraser Island), Kingfisher Bay Resort is the place wilderness and luxury collide. On one aspect, you have got a dense eucalyptus forest and on the opposite, the calm waters of the Nice Sandy Strait.
For these searching for someplace to remain on Fraser Island, this eco-resort is likely one of the finest locations to base your self to discover the world’s largest sand island — it’s off-grid dwelling, wild and distant, however you don’t should tough it.
Kingfisher Bay is designed to take a seat quietly inside its environment, not being too flashy or deter away from the wilderness. It has elevated boardwalks and buildings constructed from hoop pine wooden, so it appears to vanish into the forest, somewhat than jut out from it.
But it surely’s not only a place to remain. It has guided ranger walks, off-road adventures, canoe journeys, wildlife talks, and a lot extra – making it a resort that capabilities each as a retreat and a gateway to journey.
When you’re questioning what it’s like to remain at Kingfisher Bay Resort, Ok’gari, that is our trustworthy overview primarily based on our keep, which is able to hopefully provide you with an thought of what to anticipate.
About Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island, Australia
Once you consider exploring Fraser Island (Ok’gari), the world’s largest sand island, you’re largely pondering of journey off-road 4-wheel driving and a little bit of seaside tenting with wild dingoes – the final word journey.
So after we discovered a couple of world-class eco-resort with luxurious facilities on the island, we had been shocked this distant wilderness had one thing extra stress-free to supply. After all, curiosity meant we needed to test it out.
Kingfisher Bay Resort is an award-winning resort that has been operating since 1992 on Ok’gari (Fraser Island). It was constructed across the identical time that Fraser Island was made a World Heritage web site, marking a change in tides for the island that was beginning to open its doorways to tourism.
Though the resort’s building meant that this wilderness wasn’t as wild anymore, the resort has and at all times has been designed with environmental efforts in thoughts. Within the early 90s, this was pioneering, placing Kingfisher Bay Resort as one of many first to suppose eco-tourism in Australia.
Throughout building, they used the pure panorama as inspiration for the buildings, utilizing curved roofs that mirror the dunes on the island, and utilizing supplies sourced from the island. It was at all times meant to be a spot that integrates with the pure setting, but additionally supply luxurious.
The resort is not only a spot to remain, however a base for exploration. It provides excursions, eco ranger talks for youths, guided walks, whale watching excursions, and 4WD rent, so you possibly can actually expertise one of the best that Fraser has to supply.
Kingfisher Bay Resort is on the quieter western aspect of Fraser Island, proper the place the automobile ferry from River Head drops you off.
At first, I believed we had been lacking out by staying on the western aspect as a result of the motion gave the impression to be on the wild and rugged japanese surf aspect. However, ultimately, I fairly appreciated the softer expertise – the calm waters, the encircling bush, the arduous, flat sand, and the magnificent sunsets. Plus, it meant we had been away from the coach excursions and crowds.
Kingfisher Bay Resort Assessment: The lodging
Kingfisher Bay resort has totally different lodging varieties starting from two and three-bedroom self-contained villas, loft villas, multi-share Wilderness Lodges, resort resort rooms, and Kingfisher Homes. Villas and homes are costlier than resort rooms.
Since we had been travelling as a household, we opted for a tree-top government villa, which was like a small three-story split-level home.
We liked it, particularly its location set excessive on the tree-covered sand dunes. I simply want we had extra time to chill out inside it we had been so busy exploring stunning Fraser Island.
It was a spacious and comfy lodging with three bedrooms, massive rest room, an enormous lounge room with a fuel fireplace, a eating room, laundry services, wifi, and a full kitchen. It was additionally a brief stroll from the principle facilities of the resort, making it good for bigger households.
Facilities at Kingfisher Bay Resort
Sand & Wooden Restaurant
There are a number of selections for eating places at Kingfisher Bay Resort. There are additionally a number of bars on the resort, together with the brand-new Rainforest Bar.
The buffet breakfast at Sand & Wooden had loads of choices and was of ordinary buffet breakfast fashion. The waffle station was a specific favorite spot on the buffet desk. The restaurant of a night does alternate between buffet and a la carte, relying on season.
I’m not an enormous fan of buffets and I used to be frightened about overeating so I went for the buffet solely as an alternative of mixing it with a full breakfast meal. I want I did it with the meal as an alternative. There weren’t that many choices for me being gluten-free, so a meal would have been higher and I wouldn’t have overeaten.
The Sand Bar and Bistro
We suggest splurging for a bistro meal on the Sandbar Restaurant, which has a relaxed environment with a bush-inspired menu. The pinnacle chef has drawn inspiration from Fraser Island’s indigenous Butchulla tribe – crafting his menus to mix seasonal, native produce, contemporary seafood, Australian bush tucker, and island dwelling.
You need to cease on the bar earlier than dinner for some bush-inspired cocktails. A few of your favorite cocktails with a twist, together with native indigenous elements. After which as an alternative of dessert, go for the affogato. It was the primary time Craig had it and we each liked it (sure I snuck a little bit of his)
Babysitting at Kingfisher Bay Resort
How did Craig and I get to truly have time alone to take pleasure in all that stunning meals? A child sitter in fact!
Kingfisher Bay provides a babysitting service for visitors. Fiona got here to our villa to spend a number of hours with the women, and so they completely liked her. She took them for a stroll across the property and thru the resort gardens, stating the numerous totally different indigenous crops.
Out of doors Swimming Swimming pools
The swimming swimming pools are fairly superior. The women truly satisfied me to get into the water for a swim (I hate chilly water). I didn’t final lengthy earlier than escaping to the heated spa which suited me higher.
Or higher but, the poolside bar that gives refreshing drinks and light-weight snacks. It was a gorgeous, stress-free outlook and we loved our final twenty minutes there earlier than our ferry got here to whisk us to Hervey Bay.
Tennis Courts
When you wish to get lively in your trip, then head over to the outside tennis court docket for a sport or two. There is just one tennis court docket on the resort, so it’s essential to be affected person.
Island Day Spa
Take a break from the journey and benefit from the resorts spa companies. You possibly can indulge in lots of types of physique therapies, from facials to massages. If you wish to benefit from the spa therapies, you have to to make a reservation beforehand.
Ok’gari Discovery Centre
Inside Kingfisher Bay Resort, adjoining to the Village Retailer Advanced, is the Ok’gari Discovery Centre, which is the place you possibly can guide excursions, be taught concerning the island’s ecology by way of beautiful images and informative shows, and be part of ranger applications.
The resort has partnered with the College of the Sunshine Coast (USC), who present knowledgable Resort Rangers who’re USC graduates.
Issues to do at Kingfisher Bay Resort
Kingfisher Bay Resort is not only about resting your head, however about having fun with the adventures of the island. Listed here are among the issues you are able to do on the resort…
1. Catch unimaginable sunsets on the Island of Paradise
Folks come dashing from everywhere in the island at round 4:30pm to catch the solar happening. The unassuming Jetty Hut Seaside Bar, the unofficial sundown bar, is the place they flock to seize their sundowners – bottles of champagne and platters of prawns, cheese, and crackers are on supply.
So, we loved the sundown on western seaside, which was the right spot away from the bigger crowds. We watched the solar go down with a platter of cheese and biscuits and the drinks as properly.
Cheese and prawn platter with ice-cold beer and cider. As you’re proper on the seaside the women had enjoyable constructing sandcastles whereas the sundown.
2. Expertise the Bush Tucker Discuss and Style Expertise
We loved experiencing the Bush Tucker Discuss and Style expertise the Kingfisher Bay Resort places on each Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
It was fascinating to listen to about indigenous berries, fruit, and leaves available to us within the bush for use in cooking. We suggest doing this expertise simply earlier than you eat on the Sandbar as most of the dishes ready will embrace the meals you hear about within the discuss.
The cooks offered a choice of meals of their pure, uncooked state and defined the place yow will discover these meals, and cooked some dishes with them in entrance of us, utilizing croc, roo, and emu, which we then sampled. It was scrumptious. When you’re a foodie, that is positively the discuss for you.
So whereas we had been having our bush cooking expertise smelling lemon myrtle and tasting quandongs they had been within the backyard doing the identical. Kalyra can nonetheless recognise a few of these crops when had been are out within the bush now. I’m so grateful she had that have.
3. Go wild on a segway eco-adventure
You possibly can rent segways to make use of on the seaside, or guide onto a one-hour eco journey segway tour with one of many resort’s rangers. It was the primary time I had been on one, and I used to be just a little shaky at first, however quickly obtained the grasp of it and LOVED whizzing up and down the vast seaside.
We might simply watch the women as they performed on the sand and we obtained a while to play collectively on the Segways, and the women liked chasing after us.
Segways are priced for each half-hour, or you possibly can be part of a one-hour eco-adventure tour with a ranger.
4. Take pleasure in guided bush walks
Resort rangers lead complimentary guided walks that can assist you get to know just a little extra about Fraser Island, together with talks on the significance of mangroves, Aboriginal tradition, bush medication and meals, and the dingoes of Fraser Island.
5. Take a self-guided stroll
There are many strolling trails round Kingfisher Bay resort which can be lower than three hours you are able to do your self.
6. Rent a 4-Wheel Drive
One of many solely methods to get round Fraser Island is by 4×4 car. You possibly can simply lease a 4WD from the resort and discover the island by yourself with out the necessity for a tour. Merely pack up a picnic, your seaside towel and loads of water, and zip down the seventy-five mile seaside to discover the websites.
Head over to Lake McKenzie, a glistening turquoise lake identified for its pure magnificence. This is likely one of the few spots on the island you possibly can swim, so benefit from it. Cease off to discover the mountaineering/biking trails, or hunt for the long-lasting shipwreck.
The resort has parking accessible, however it’s essential to pay for parking every day.
7. Take a ship tour
There are a number of boat excursions you possibly can take at Kingfisher Bay Resort Fraser Island. There are sea explorer cruises, which take you to the northwest aspect of the island to discover the pristine waters.
You may as well take whale watching cruises (seasonal from June to November) to see migrating whales enjoying within the heat waters with their new child child calves.
8. Archery
Enjoyable for all of the household, archery is an exercise that guarantees enjoyable and pleasant competitors. All tools is offered and also you have to be over 10 to do that
9. Illumina Night time Present
Illumina is the primary everlasting mild, laser, and projection set up in Queensland and supplies a creative expertise towards the native setting.
Each night time, Kingfisher Bay Resort has a 23 minute mild present that’s designed to encourage and deepen your appreciation for the island’s ecosystem.
We haven’t watched it, however we hear it’s spectacular.
Test-In/Test-Out Expertise
It was very easy to test out and in of the Kingfisher Resort. Because you additionally obtain a ferry terminal shuttle, you don’t want to fret about discovering the resort on this gigantic sand bar.
You simply want to search out your approach to the Mainland Reception at River Heads (Store 7/54 River Heads Purchasing Village, River Heads Highway, River Heads QLD 4655).
It’s suggested to check-in 40 minutes earlier than to the ferry departure time. If you wish to, you possibly can even get an airport shuttle for a small price, to fret much less about attempting to get there.
You may as well take the car ferry your self and drive to the resort. Merely head to the check-in reception at River Heads and the reception workforce gives you additional directions. Be aware it’s important to pay for parking.
We took the ferry switch and had been taken to the property location. The entrance desk workers had been very pleasant and useful and instructed us about all of the services on the resort. Merely present them your reserving affirmation, passport and the bank card or debit card you booked with and also you’re away!
In case you are travelling with small children, you possibly can reserve additional beds with mattress sheets or toddler beds/cribs beforehand for a further cost. Merely contact the reception and make particular requests.
The Verdict: Would we suggest Kingfisher Bay Resort?
Fraser Island is all about journey. Merely strap into your four-wheel drive, and head down the 75-mile seaside freeway and also you’ll quickly go by glistening lakes, howling dingoes and in the event you’re fortunate, migrating whales.
With a lot to excite your senses, in relation to selecting a spot to remain, you may wish to think about a extra relaxed tempo. That was our pondering after we determined to remain on the Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island – it provides just a little slice of luxurious amidst some of the distinctive and pristine components of Australia.
It was a refreshing break from the adventurous aspect of Ok’gari, and was a cushty place to remain. For households, it’s nice, since there are such a lot of issues for the children to try this adults will love too. Because of this, we completely suggest it as a spot to remain on Fraser Island.
Fraser Island Video
Click on play to see the enjoyable you possibly can have on Fraser Island…
Extra Fraser Island Journey Suggestions
Learn extra useful posts on the UNESCO Nice Sandy Biosphere Reserve space in Queensland
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